PLAYTIME has been given the thumbs up in Worcester.
Dr Emma Laurence, a Worcester University lecturer in the department for children and families and a specialist in child development, has praised recent work in the city to provide high quality play opportunities for children and young people – especially teenagers.
This includes completion of a new pump track at Battenhall, the opening of the new Play On the Way area in Warndon, and the announcement of plans for a ‘destination facility’ pump track at Perdiswell.
Dr Laurence said: “One thing I’ve seen with the pump track at Battenhall in particular, is that it’s created a play opportunity for slightly older children. We know that play spaces have dwindled dramatically in recent years, but where we do see them, we tend to see lots of swing sets and slides and things aimed at younger children, but there can often be little provision for teenagers to use for free.
“When we create these facilities for young people it creates social capital, improves their ties to the community and quite often, people are much more likely to look after that place if it has been created for them.
“For teenagers and young people there can be a lack of provision in terms of space where they can just exist. A place where there’s light and maybe shelter which isn’t their bedroom. A key aspect of their development is about peer relationships, so they’ve got to be able to exercise that outside of school.”
She added: “Play gives children the ability to regulate themselves emotionally. It allows them to exercise critical thinking skills and nurture their social relationships.
“We all know some of our best memories were in play when we were younger. When I speak to people, often their most memorable play experiences were unsupervised, and they were child led and often outdoors.
“Opportunities for this for today’s children are vanishingly small, so I’m delighted to see this being an area that Worcester is investing in.”
